THE MIDWEST AFRICAN SERIES, DAY 9
MONROVIA
General Butt Naked. Monrovia wouldn’t have been at the top of my list when it comes to West Africa but as soon as I heard I could meet an old war lord I was dying to visit.
MURDERED 20,000 CIVILIANS, RECRUITED 100s OF CHILD SOLDIERS AND ATE BABIES BEFORE GOING INTO BATTLE
This is not any war lord however, this was the infamous general butt naked. It might sound like a bit of a sketch but it’s true, the man would have gone into battle with nothing but his massive weapon…
WHERE IS MONROVIA?
Monrovia
GENERAL BUTT NAKED
Unless you look into the depths of the internet, you can find little about Joshua Milton Blahyi. However, if you look hard enough you will see a pretty shady past. GBN was an old war lord who plagued the country during the civil war in the 1990s. He garnered troops with his charisma and promise of safety and security during a dangerous period for all.
Some of the atrocities he committed are well beyond your wildest nightmares. Troops often killed men on sight, for fear they were already part of a rebel gang, Soldiers raped women, gave kids a concoction of drink and drugs, and armed them with guns and they often ate babies as part of a pre-battle ritual.
General Butt Naked
DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL –
Embassy Suites (8) - ATTRACTIONS –
General Butt Naked
Providence Island
Waterside
West Point
Ducor Hotel
A NEW MISSION
Now the war lord has changed course and operates a rehab centre for child soldiers and anyone affected by drugs use, a major issue in Liberia. The rehab center keeps them for around 18 months, where they are feed, housed and put to work, but unfortunately aren’t able to leave the confines of the compound.
They are currently in the process of extending the facilities to include a gymnasium, basketball court, and more dorms to increase the numbers to 300.
General Butt Naked
THE PEOPLE
Fortunately I got a chance to speak with some of the guys here and they were keen to show me their rooms. I think they like the novelty of new people coming here, cannot imagine being stuck in a compound cold turkey for 18months. Currently, the center houses about 12 people to a room, but it will soon change with the addition of bunkbeds, and will then become 30 to a room. Although there are a lot of people, it also means more people receive help.
General Butt Naked
FORGIVENESS
I did try and ask about his past but in fairness he probably prefers to move on. It’s hard to determine the right thing to do. After the war there was a motion that allowed everyone to admit their wrongdoings for Amnesty and thats how he has so far avoided getting sentenced. Do you sentence a guy to life and in the process lose what he has built, a clinic that helps those very much in need. I appreciate it doesn’t have to be one or the other but either way it’s not a decision I’d like to make.
General Butt Naked
RELATED READ: A NAKED SWEDE AND ANGKOR WAT
PROVIDENCE ISLAND
On our way to West Point slum we stopped at what is probably Liberia’s most historic site. Providence island is where the slaves were repatriated when freed in America after the abolition of slavery. They would be shipped across the Atlantic and disembarked on this tiny island to begin their new life. Another bribe payed here.
FACTS ABOUT LIBERIA:
- Liberia, the sole Black state in Africa never colonized, has preserved its sovereignty unlike many African nations.
- Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic since 1821, was founded by the American Colonization Society as a homeland for freed African-American slaves, making it a unique historical entity with land acquired for this purpose.
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the first woman elected head of state in Africa, served as president from 2006 to 2018. Notably, she won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent advocacy for women’s rights and peace-building efforts.
WEST POINT
West Point is Liberia’s biggest slum and an incredible network of alleys and passage ways which 70,000 people call their home. As you could expect you could buy anything here, from burned DVDs to sweets made from soil. I thought this was a joke but this stuff is genuinely taken from the ground and sold directly to the customer. Will be interesting to see how my stomach takes it!
Going through the village there are cinemas (not your usual cinema), business centre for documents and internet and some low key bars which we missed out on – Dayo from Ivory Coast wouldn’t be pleased!
ABOUT LIBERIA:
- LANGUAGE – Liberian English
- HELLO – Ya Hello-o
- HOW TO CHEERS – Cheers! Good Health!
- BEVERAGE OF CHOICE – Alcohol
- POPULAR SPORT – Soccer
- STAPLE DIET – Rice
DUCOR HOTEL
At Monrovia’s highest point you will see the Ducor Hotel, an old 5* palace built in the 60s and then destroyed during the civil war. This is a reminder that Liberia was once a prospering country until the proverbial shit hit the fan. Incredible views but an absolute bollocks to get into.
As Liberia owed a significant amount of money to Libya. (who even runs Libya?) they decided to gift some of its assets instead of trying to come up with the funds. So they swiftly moved the title into that of the Libyan African Company, who I assume will renovate it and receive a return from the operation of the hotel.
But anyway, because it is now owned by this company, you now need official permissions to gain entry. In the end we got in but were forbidden to take photos or videos of myself in the hotel… bizarre.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I thought that Monrovia was going to be one of the least exciting, most chilled but it was a good surprise, quite enjoyed the chaos.
NEXT UP
The gold and diamond mines of Sierra Leone!! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
164/229
This post is part of The Midwest African Series, for the entire series click here or for episode 1, click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
